7 Godly New Year’s Resolutions for 2023

With the new year looming, it is natural to have an appetite for change. Every year, we are engulfed with talk of New Year’s resolutions from a worldly standpoint. But, let’s create resolutions that are driven by God. Implementing change on top of the wrong foundation leads to temporary results (Psalm 11:3). But when that will for change is founded by Christ, the results are timeless. Regardless of what positions God has given us authority over, it is our jobs to steadily evolve for the better. 2023 will be a new beginning where what we are unhappy with can either stay in the past or be dragged along to our present.  Consider these 7 Godly New Year’s Resolutions for the upcoming transition into 2023.

A List of Godly New Year’s Resolutions

1. Learn to Intercede for Others

Prayer is a fundamental principle that we are taught as babes in Christ. But on a day-to-day basis, it can become routine to pray only for our own circumstances. Irrespective of what you are praying about, having that constant connection with God is life-altering all by itself. However, as believers we are constantly evolving into whatever God needs us to be, even if it’s just for a moment. Intercession is evidence of spiritual maturity. To have a valid need before God, but choose to pray on behalf of someone else takes faith and discipline. For some, intercession may come easy as a spiritual gift. But for others, it takes intentionality and practice each time. Interceding does not have to be front and center. It can be done on your bedroom floor, out grocery shopping, or even during the ride home from work. Let’s make it a godly New Year’s resolution to put other’s spiritual well-being before our own—having full confidence in God that He will not abandon our own needs.

2. Create Boundaries

Enforcing boundaries can be scary, especially amongst loved ones. But, you must realize that even God has boundaries. It’s the perfect godly New Year’s resolution because doing this well grants you a greater sense of self-security by learning things that only boundary-setting will allow you to see. At first, setting boundaries can feel like neglect, especially for a giver; Although quite the opposite, it is protecting what God put in you—granting you the ability to give from the right place. A few basic boundaries to implement this year include saying no, choosing when to handle negative energy, and affording yourself the same compassion you give to others. As a New Year’s resolution, start off by creating a list of one or two boundaries for each category of your life: (family, motherhood, marriage, work). When those are down, talk to God about adding more as the year progresses.

3. Journaling Your Dreams

Are you a dreamer? Even if your dreams don’t appear spiritually relevant at the time, that does not mean they cannot bear witness of events in your life later on. God speaks in several ways, and dreams are so significant because we can see, feel, and hear in a supernatural way when we are unconscious. Memory fades. So, when God brings a dream back to your remembrance, having a journal entry of what it is was exactly could be extremely helpful. Keep a small book and pen beside your bed, so if you are awakened in the middle of the night, you’ll have exactly what you need. This activity may stimulate other godly New Year’s resolutions for later. At the end of 2023, God will amaze you with all He revealed to you about the state of the world, friends, family, and even your own life through dreams.

Related: Spending New Year’s Eve With Jesus

4. Add 15 Minutes to your Prayer Time

Without question, there is no right or wrong way to spend time with God. There is no set amount of time that you must spend with Him each day to say you know Him. That’s why when determining your godly New Year’s resolutions, only God can dictate when He will move or when He wants more from you. With that being said, the time we dedicate to surround ourselves with Him is up to us. No matter what that looks like for you, I encourage you this year to add fifteen minutes onto what you already have dedicated. God honors dedication. He honors an appetite for more and He honors sacrifice. Adding a few extra minutes might not seem like much. But, it may be just what God needs to make a huge difference in your life this coming year.

5. Attend a Conference

This one can be a little tricky depending on your financial position. In spite of that, try your best this next year to be present at a women’s convention or conference. Watching online has its benefits, but there is nothing like being in a room with thousands of other women, all spiritually on the same accord. There is power in numbers, agreement, and beauty in having no distractions—only Jesus. You can start planning early for conferences like Woman Evolve by Sarah Jakes Roberts, Live Original by Sadie Robertson Huff or Think Pink  by Lesley Osei. There’s many impactful conferences out there so just let the Lord lead! With a weekend convention you can easily meet people that will become a part of your life from there on out. Create the highlight of your year and an encounter your soul will thrive on forever with a faith-based conference in 2023.

6. Fast More

Not so fast! Don’t go into the New Year without a plan for fasting. This too is a principle that is more of a necessity than an option. Fasting is a display of big faith. Don’t be afraid to drop everything and go on a fast when God leads your heart in that direction. You can even choose something to withhold from for the whole entire year if you’re feeling radical. Not only is this a perfect way to grow spiritual discipline, fasting creates a bond with God that you can’t afford going through the next chapter of your life without. If you have health conditions that prevent you from going prolonged stints without food, consider fasting from a food group, or things like television, social media, shopping, etc. Choose whatever that will be a real sacrifice for you to surrender.

7. Get Closer to God

Strengthening our relationship with Christ should always be a part of our plans. Think of a goldfish in a fishbowl. You are the fish and your relationship with Christ is the bowl. A goldfish will only grow to the size of the container it’s housed in. This is equivalent to our relationship with God. It can be as big as the ocean or as tiny as a small bowl, that is up to us. Comfort will have you keep your relationship with God at the same status for years because it seems to be working well at the stage that it’s in. However, God can only bless you according to the amount of room that’s available. Meaning, He can’t put an ocean-sized blessing in a kiddie-pool-sized relationship. Seek Him in whatever way you feel led: Prayer, reading, ministry, or even giving.

Encourage others you know to draw from this list of 7 Godly New Year’s Resolutions for the incoming year. That way we will all witness what true glory looks like in 2023.